Father had actually seen through things so clearly, guessing to such a critical and shocking extent.
Bai Li looked at her shocked expression and sighed inwardly.
His tone softened, filled with pleading.
“Ziya, I really do know everything, so please stop hiding things from me, okay?”
Ziya bit her lower lip, her gaze wavering.
Her heart struggled between honesty and concealment, unable to make a final decision.
Seeing that the time was ripe, Bai Li decided to press the advantage, giving her no chance to keep avoiding the issue.
“You know in your heart that you can’t keep this from me. Even if you don’t say it today, I’ll find out sooner or later. Are you really going to keep hiding things even after I’ve shared so much of my heart with you?”
Ziya remained silent, her small body trembling slightly.
Bai Li sighed inwardly, his tone carrying a trace of unmistakable disappointment.
‘I really have to say it… Ziya, Father is truly disappointed.’
“Don’t say any more, Father! I’ll talk! I’ll tell you everything!”
Ziya suddenly interrupted him with an emotional cry, her voice filled with tears and resolve.
Before Bai Li could react, she pushed herself up from the bed and lunged toward him, throwing her arms around him in a tight embrace.
Bai Li was startled by this sudden, passionate hug, and his body stiffened for a moment.
However, as that familiar and warm scent washed over him, the surprise in his heart was quickly replaced by peace and tenderness.
He slowly began to relax.
Time passed quietly, second by second.
“One second, two seconds, three seconds…”
Leaning against the soft bedding while Ziya held him tightly, Bai Li felt a large question mark rising in his mind.
This girl was holding on so tight, so why hadn’t she started her confession yet?
Did she really expect him, as the elder, to cast aside all his dignity and take the initiative to ask?
More time passed in silence.
Bai Li waited and waited until he was nearly out of patience.
He made a silent decision: if it came down to it, he would just ask her what she was hesitating about.
But just as he was about to gently push Ziya away and ask…
*Whew…*
A soft, steady, and increasingly rhythmic sound of breathing came from behind him.
“Huh?”
Bai Li muttered.
He froze on the spot, completely stunned.
He almost couldn’t stop himself from crying out in disbelief.
“No way? Ziya had just vowed to confess everything and tell him every detail, yet while she was holding him, she actually fell asleep?”
One second she was emotional and determined to be honest, and the next she had turned around and fallen into a sweet slumber while clinging to him?
Moreover, she was holding on like an octopus, her limbs tightly wrapped around him with such force that he couldn’t break free…
Bai Li felt both annoyed and amused, his heart filled with helplessness.
‘Sigh, I really am a fool. I actually expected this girl to sit down and properly share her secrets once her emotions took over.’
If he had known, he wouldn’t have hesitated or beat around the bush; he should have just cast aside his status as a father and asked directly.
He wouldn’t have ended up in this laughable situation.
“Oh well.”
Bai Li clicked his tongue inwardly and gave up his struggle.
Regardless, Ziya had personally promised to stop hiding things from him, so the goal for tonight was essentially achieved.
As for the specific details, it wouldn’t be too late to ask tomorrow morning.
Thinking of this, Bai Li couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction.
The corners of his mouth curved upward slightly.
After all, this meant his younger daughter was finally willing to open up to him and stop keeping everything bottled up inside.
The barrier between family members finally showed signs of breaking.
He even made a silent vow that if the girl dared to play any little tricks tomorrow, the tension Bai Li had felt all night would definitely result in her learning a lesson she wouldn’t soon forget.
Wrapped in the warm, firm embrace from behind, the long-lost sense of security allowed him to slowly close his eyes with a faint smile on his lips.
This night was the most stable, comfortable, and sweet sleep he had experienced in the entire week since becoming Bai Li.
In the sweet dreamland, there was the warmth of a gentle embrace, the relief of his daughter finally giving in, and the anticipation of uncovering the truth and reuniting the family.
It was so beautiful that one wouldn’t want to wake up.
But what no one knew was that after Bai Li fell into a deep sleep with steady breathing, the Ziya behind him — who had supposedly been snoring away and looking completely defenseless — slowly opened those clear, bright purple eyes.
Beneath the moonlight, a pair of purple eyes quietly watched Bai Li’s back.
Her gaze was complex and her emotions were difficult to discern; the scene looked somewhat eerie in the silence of the night.
If Bai Li were to turn around right now, he would surely be startled by the sight.
Ziya bit her lip gently and sighed to herself.
‘I accidentally let my emotions get out of control because of a few words from Father, and then I foolishly agreed to tell him everything…’
She knew in her heart that she could hide for a while, but not forever.
Since she had personally promised to stop hiding things, then tomorrow, no matter what, she had to gather her courage and tell Bai Li everything exactly as it happened.
She really didn’t want to — and was unwilling to — see Bai Li feel disappointed or hurt because of her secrecy.
That would be more painful than any scolding.
Ziya gently closed her eyes and nuzzled her small head affectionately against the hair of the person she cherished most.
The lingering, comforting scent calmed all the anxiety and inner conflict in her heart, and she finally drifted into a peaceful slumber.
This heart-to-heart, which had taken place on a bed in the dead of night — filled with a mix of humor, warmth, and a subtle, silent tug-of-war — finally came to a temporary close.
—
Yet, in stark contrast to the peaceful, warm scene here, a horrific sight was unfolding far away.
What had once been a Desolate Battlefield of swirling yellow sands and parched earth was now completely covered in vast stretches of shocking, bright red.
Dried, blackened blood had formed hard scabs on the ground.
Broken weapons, shattered armor, and gruesome, exploded fragments of corpses were scattered everywhere…
Every sight silently spoke of the ruthless and terrifying nature of war, forming a sharp contrast with the peace and beauty of the warm little house in the distance.